Datuk Cheah Soon Kit (Current name: Chinese: 謝勛寁; Jyutping: Ze6 Fan1 Zaam2; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiā Hun-chám / Birth name: Chinese: 謝順吉; Jyutping: Ze6 Seon6 Gat1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiā Sūn-kiat) PMW KMN BSD (born 9 January 1968) is a former Malaysian badminton player and coach.

Career

Soon Kit was won the Olympic silver with Yap Kim Hock in Atlanta 1996. Before combining with Kim Hock, Soon Kit’s partner was Soo Beng Kiang and they won numerous international titles, including the 1992 and 1994 World Cup. He was also a vital member of the Malaysian squad that won the Thomas Cup for the first time in 25 years, in a 3-2 victory over Indonesia at the Stadium Negara in 1992.

Coaching

Soon Kit was the national women’s doubles coach from 2001 to 2007. He groomed Wong Pei Tty-Chin Eei Hui into the country’s top pair. Pei Tty-Eei Hui bagged the SEA Games gold in Manila in 2005 to end a 30-year title drought. They also won the gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. After becoming the head coach for several minor badminton clubs, Soon Kit rejoined the national set-up in 2016 before heading the men’s doubles department in 2017 and was instrumental in grooming the current Malaysia No.1 Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik. He left the national setup at the end of 2018.

Achievements

Olympic Games

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1996GSU Sports Arena, Atlanta, United StatesMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja15–5, 13–15, 12–15Silver

World Championships

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1993National Indoor Arena, Birmingham, EnglandMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Ricky Subagja11–15, 3–15Silver
1995Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, SwitzerlandMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja8–15, 6–15Bronze
1997Scotstoun Centre, Glasgow, ScotlandMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Sigit Budiarto Indonesia Candra Wijaya15–8, 17–18, 7–15Silver

World Cup

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1990Istora Senayan, Jakarta, IndonesiaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Eddy Hartono Indonesia Rudy Gunawan13–18, 13–18Bronze
1992Guangdong Gymnasium, Guangzhou, ChinaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja15–10, 15–11Gold
1993Indira Gandhi Arena, New Delhi, IndiaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja9–15, 11–15Bronze
1994Phan Đình Phùng Indoor Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Bambang Suprianto18–13, 2–15, 17–16Gold
1995Istora Senayan, Jakarta, IndonesiaMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja13–18, 9–15Bronze
1996Istora Senayan, Jakarta, IndonesiaMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Denny Kantono Indonesia Antonius Ariantho11–15, 15–3, 13–15Bronze

Commonwealth Games

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1990Auckland Badminton Hall, Auckland, New ZealandMalaysia Rashid SidekMalaysia Jalani Sidek Malaysia Razif Sidek8–15, 8–15Silver
1994McKinnon Gym, University of Victoria, Victoria, CanadaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangEngland Simon Archer England Chris Hunt15–10, 15–9Gold
1998Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysia Yap Kim HockMalaysia Choong Tan Fook Malaysia Lee Wan Wah7–15, 4–15Silver

Asian Games

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1994Tsuru Memorial Gymnasium, Hiroshima, JapanMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja10–15, 2–15Silver

Asian Championships

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1991Cheras Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangSouth Korea Park Joo-bong South Korea Kim Moon-soo7–15, 7–15Bronze
1995Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium, Beijing, ChinaMalaysia Yap Kim HockChina Huang Zhanzhong China Jiang Xin7–15, 15–8, 15–7Gold
1999Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysia Yap Kim HockChina Zhang Jun China Zhang Wei16–17, 8–15Bronze

Asian Cup

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1991Istora Senayan, Jakarta, IndonesiaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja17–16, 15–5Gold
1994Beijing Gymnasium, Beijing, ChinaMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja8–15, 7–15Silver
1995Xinxing Gymnasium, Qingdao, ChinaMalaysia Yap Kim HockChina Huang Zhanzhong China Jiang Xin10–15, 11–15Silver

Southeast Asian Games

Men's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1991Camp Crame Gymnasium, Manila, PhilippinesMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Eddy Hartono Indonesia Rudy Gunawan7–15, 3–15Bronze
1993Singapore Badminton Hall, SingaporeMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja15–7, 11–15, 15–7Gold
1995Gymnasium 3, 700th Anniversary Sport Complex, Chiang Mai, ThailandMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja15–13, 15–9Gold

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1989Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMalaysia Tan Sui HoonIndonesia Aryono Miranat Indonesia Minarti Timur14–18, 1–15Bronze

IBF World Grand Prix

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.

Men's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1988Swiss OpenMalaysia Ong Beng TeongMalaysia Ong Ewe Chye Malaysia Rahman Sidek15–9, 15–6Winner
1988Poona OpenMalaysia Ong Beng TeongDenmark Michael Kjeldsen Denmark Jens Peter Nierhoff10–15, 15–10, 6–15Runner-up
1989Swiss OpenMalaysia Ong Beng TeongChina Zhang Qiang China Zhou Jincan15–9, 5–15, 15–7Winner
1989Thailand OpenMalaysia Razif SidekSouth Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong11–15, 3–15Runner-up
1990World Grand Prix FinalsMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Eddy Hartono6–15, 8–15Runner-up
1991Chinese Taipei OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangMalaysia Jalani Sidek Malaysia Razif Sidek7–15, 5–15Runner-up
1991Swedish OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangDenmark Jon Holst-Christensen Denmark Thomas Lund18–14, 15–7Winner
1991Thailand OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Eddy Hartono3–15, 11–15Runner-up
1992Chinese Taipei OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangMalaysia Jalani Sidek Malaysia Tan Kim Her15–7, 15–4Winner
1992Malaysia OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangChina Chen Hongyong China Chen Kang15–12, 15–7Winner
1992Canada OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangSouth Korea Ahn Jae-chang South Korea Choi Ji-tae15–4, 15–4Winner
1992US OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangDenmark Thomas Lund Sweden Jens Olsson15–9, 15–11Winner
1992World Grand Prix FinalsMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja11–15, 6–15Runner-up
1993Chinese Taipei OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Imay Hendra Indonesia Bagus Setiadi15–3, 15–12Winner
1993Malaysia OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja7–15, 5–15Runner-up
1993Dutch OpenMalaysia Soo Beng KiangChina Jiang Xin China Yu Qi15–4, 17–14Winner
1995Malaysia OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockThailand Pramote Teerawiwatana Thailand Sakrapee Thongsari15–5, 12–15, 5–15Runner-up
1995Thailand OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockChina Huang Zhanzhong China Jiang Xin9–15, 11–15Runner-up
1995World Grand Prix FinalsMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rudy Gunawan Indonesia Bambang Suprianto13–18, 15–2, 15–12Winner
1996Korea OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja5–15, 14–15Runner-up
1996All England OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja6–15, 5–15Runner-up
1996Malaysia OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockMalaysia Choong Tan Fook Malaysia Lee Wan Wah15–5, 15–3Winner
1996US OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Sigit Budiarto Indonesia Candra Wijaya16–18, 10–15Runner-up
1996Hong Kong OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Antonius Ariantho Indonesia Denny Kantono6–15, 3–15Runner-up
1996World Grand Prix FinalsMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Rexy Mainaky Indonesia Ricky Subagja4–15, 9–15Runner-up
1997Korea OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockSouth Korea Ha Tae-kwon South Korea Kang Kyung-jin15–4, 13–15, 5–15Runner-up
1997World Grand Prix FinalsMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Sigit Budiarto Indonesia Candra Wijaya15–17, 15–11, 5–15Runner-up
1998Japan OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Antonius Ariantho Indonesia Denny Kantono15–9, 15–7Winner
1998Dutch OpenMalaysia Choong Tan FookSweden Peter Axelsson Sweden Pär-Gunnar Jönsson15–11, 15–9Winner
1999Chinese Taipei OpenMalaysia Choong Tan FookIndonesia Antonius Ariantho Indonesia Denny Kantono4–15, 17–14, 8–15Runner-up
1999Hong Kong OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Sigit Budiarto Indonesia Halim Haryanto15–12, 15–12Winner
2000Chinese Taipei OpenMalaysia Yap Kim HockIndonesia Tony Gunawan Indonesia Candra Wijaya7–15, 7–15Runner-up

Honours

  • Malaysia Herald of the Order of Loyalty to the Royal Family of Malaysia (BSD) (1988) Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (1992)
  • Federal Territory Knight Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown (PMW) – Datuk (2021)

External links